Some organisations, working for access to medicines, are planning to move public interest litigation on the irrational combinations drugs issue if the current government's attempt to weed them out does not reach the logical conclusion under industry pressure.
Keeping a close watch on the developments, now under litigation following the court stay on DCGI order to withdraw 294 FDCs, the public interest groups said they would wait to move the court till the final verdict by the Madras High Court.
``We appreciate the effort by the DCGI and his determination to get the irrational combinations out of the market. If he fails to get a favourable judgement from the Madras HC to vacate the stay or if in any case the Government will try to dilute the stand under industry pressure, we will certainly put up the PIL to take the fight ahead,'' a leader of the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan disclosed.
Organisations like Federation of Medical Representatives Associations of India, JSA, All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN), and the National Campaign Committee on Drug Policy (NCCDP) have jointly prepared an action plan on the topic of FDCs.
They have decided to meet the State drug controllers to personally urge them to implement the DCGI order and go further to weed out all irrational FDCs. The organizations would also hold public hearings on irrational medicines and meet the Central Ministers with their demands.
"The list of over 300 medicines that have not been approved by the drug regulatory agency in India points to the rampant violation of law in the country and the consequent proliferation of irrational medicines. This list circulated by the DCGI is grossly inadequate and also does not include a very large number of irrational medicines that have been approved by the State authorities based on incorrect premises,'' said a joint statement by the groups.
Asking the authorities to prepare a more comprehensive list, they also demanded that all the brand names of these unapproved drugs be notified in the media and a strict timeframe be given to the state drug controllers to adhere to the DCGI action plan.
"Set up a special committee to weed out all irrational medicines and their combinations, including those that have been approved based on erroneous considerations, within a stipulated period,'' they demanded. They also called for regular re-evaluation of drugs and strictly ban the companies from changing the ingredients of a particular brand.